ORGANIC SEEDS, DIFFERENT HARVESTS

Unity in diversity. Such a statement seems ignorant at best, oxymoronic at worst. How is it possible to be vastly different in appearance and expression, yet be unified? But how tragic our existence would be if the world were filled with shades of grey—homogeneous yet void of color and life and variance. Fortunately “unity” is not synonymous with “uniformity”, making it entirely possible for two people to appear completely different yet grow together out of shared foundation.

In the same way, new churches grow out of the mix of DNA between a church planter and a community. This has been the model for church growth since the age of the apostles. The Jerusalem church sprang into existence in a day when a prayer meeting of a core group of Jesus’ followers turned into a spirit-filled evangelistic rally where thousands became believers. Conversely, Paul and his companions went to Philippi and found a small band of women meeting for prayer. Several of them became followers of Jesus and formed the core group for the new church in Philippi, a congregation that eventually became influential throughout the Christian movement.

Through the Northstar Church Multiplication Center, church planters are free to be honorable to their unique calling and vision. No two church planters have the same personality or gift set, and they’re not expected to. Each planter is led through a formal training process and ongoing one-on-one coaching relationships, assisting them in drawing out God’s vision for their ministry and in working towards obedience to that.

Just as each planter is unique, new churches also grow up organically rather than from a one-size-fits-all template. The word “organic” can mean many things, but essentially it refers to developing in a manner characteristic of a living organism. Described as a “body” of people in relationship with Jesus and one another, the church is a living organism and must be allowed to grow as one. Accordingly, the Northstar Center sees each church as a unique expression of what God raises up through that community.

Some churches start with members and money from a parent congregation, while others begin as a gathering of a few people praying and studying the Bible to learn what it means to be followers of Jesus. Some churches start as a collection of cell groups, while others start as a worship service that feeds small groups. Some meet in schools, others in homes and a few in rented community facilities.

While there is no uniform approach to starting a thriving church, all of these churches are unified in their common commitment to the “irreducible core”—helping shape followers of Jesus to love God, love others and make new disciples. Our methods vary widely even among the churches and planters that make up the Northstar Church Multiplication Center, but we are clear about our purpose to make extraordinary followers of Jesus.

Here are some of our churches' stories:

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